


as long as i live and breathe

by RKWQ



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: "secret" relationship, (In Favor of Fanon Compliance), (yeah let's go with that), Attempt at Humor, Canon Compliant, Dancing, Diplomacy, Examples include:, F/F, F/M, Ficlet Collection?, First Dates, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Injury Recovery, M/M, Multi, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Mini Stories, Post-Season/Series 03, Rayllum - Freeform, Romance, Ruthari - Freeform, Slight Canon Divergence, What do I call this?, drama?, slice of life?, that kind of stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:13:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21974884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RKWQ/pseuds/RKWQ
Summary: The Battle of the Storm Spire ended, but that was the only thing that did. Rayla and Callum shared a chaste kiss atop the pinnacle of the Storm Spire. They enjoyed the piece of ephemeral peace they had, the one that wouldn't last for even a day.Rayla parted from the kiss, staring sincerely into Callum's eyes.Lux Aurea and a majority of the human kingdoms were decimated. Viren was still on the loose. Unknown to many, the evil of Aaravos was literally incubating. Not only were Rayla and Callum caught in this entire post-war situation, but they also had to deal with bigots who think that humans and elves still can't go hand in hand.Thinking about the prospect of more problems, Rayla dropped her gaze from Callum's and onto the ground. The Moonshadow elf saw a pouch and a coin lying on the earth.Yet another problem to deal with...(Post-canon whatchamacallits!)
Relationships: Callum & Lain (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Corvus & Ezran & Opeli (Dragon Prince), Ethari/Runaan (The Dragon Prince), Rayla & Runaan (The Dragon Prince), Runaan/Tinker | Necklace Elf (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 53
Kudos: 141





	1. Tempo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To enter the Silvergrove, you need a special dance that will act as your key to the occulted village. Today, Callum gets to make his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction here. Once I finish an undefined plot surrounding the Storm Spire, Katolis, the Silvergrove, and Lux Aurea, I will be accepting requests for prompts (that won't be for a while).
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own any of the characters, settings, plots or any other elements from the Dragon Prince as this is classified as a derivative work.
> 
> 7/20/20: Skim edited!

Chaos—that was the word to sum it all up, and yet it wasn't enough to describe it. 

The chaos started way before an ambitious man with a literal devil at his ear rallied humanity to march on Xadia. 

The chaos the lines of family and friendship blurred along with loyalties, motives, and beliefs.

The chaos continued despite the delusions, risks, and casualties of many.

The chaos didn't end with death because it lingered and didn't seem to dissipate in any manner.

Three days—that was how long it had been, and yet not much has changed since the Battle of the Storm Spire. 

In the past three days, both sides of the human kingdoms and Xadia had much to settle. The tempo of the entire situation was far too fast for many to keep up.

In the past three days, King Ezran of Katolis, along with Queen Aanya of Duren, held down the fort in the pentarchy after the sanguinary warfare in Xadia. Being in its golden days and the only unscathed one of the five kingdoms, Duren administered relief operations and elections in Neolandia, Evenere, and Del Bar. On the other hand, Katolis still had quite the surplus of goods to take care of itself and support Duren's endeavors.

In the past three days, it has been hard on everyone, so Callum wanted to do his best and relieve the tension of many. For some reason, it seemed that elves would more calmly and attentively listen to a human who used primal magic to help defend Prince Azymondias and Queen Zubeia. Ezran instantaneously delegated his brother as the ambassador of Katolis for Xadia. Without any unneeded cynicism and dismission to him, Callum was the perfect person to act as a human representative in Xadia. Although he was still very much needed in Katolis, which was why he would return often.

In the past three days, Callum traveled more than five times between Katolis and Xadia. It was made possible with the efforts of Ezran and his dragon friend Pyrrah, who seemed to have enough stamina to fly Callum to and fro. Astonishingly, Pyrrah was able to fly at consistently breakneck speeds without the mage falling off his back. Today, Callum was to go on another of his diplomatic (romantic) trips to the Silvergrove.

Now, before readers get tired of the abuse of anaphora, if it can even be considered to be such, we can move on to the main attraction.

* * *

On his side, Callum was always selfless with his duties to the point that he hadn't gotten to spend personal time with Rayla. The council of Katolis was by no means ready to allow any breaks for anyone. _There was no time for breaks_ , Opeli had said. But Ezran had even covertly granted him a personal trip that the council thought was a diplomatic one. A vacation under the guise of work—clever!

 _'What Opeli didn't know wouldn't hurt her,'_ Callum thought.

So here he was in the middle of a forest with no landmarks to help him navigate. Pyrrah had dropped him off at the nearest clearing that was open enough for her since she was too bulky to squeeze through the cluster of colossal trees that only grew denser as they traveled onward. It would take extra time to hike to the entrance to the Silvergrove, but Callum didn't mind. The time that he would take to get to the Silvergrove on foot wasn't much of a delay anyway.

From when they left Katolis at dawn, Pyrrah had maintained her supersonic speed. The wind mage thought he would have fell off her back a few times, but it was worth the scare since they were able to cut the normally long trip to the Silvergorve to a mere eight hours. Callum ended up arriving in the prime time of afternoon and thanked Pyrrah for the fast travel with some affectionate pats—just like Ezran told him to. The tired dragon puffed out some smoke from her nostrils and then promptly collapsed on the ground. Though, it wasn't because of fatigue. It was the universal desire to sleep just because you can.

Callum laughed it off before he rummaged through his satchel for his compass. Based on prior plans, he would hike towards a general northeast direction before he reached his destination. Rayla had said that since he had been in the Silvergrove before, even if he entered as a ghost, he would feel a shift in the environmental magic or something. Whatever it was, it took him less than fifteen minutes of trekking uneven ground, almost tripping a few times, before he felt it. It was a subtle but still noticeable surge in the magical energy in the air.

It was also then when he saw Rayla appear from nowhere, most likely having emerged from the invisible barrier. She cheerfully waved at him from the threshold of the Silvergrove as Callum's walking pace sped up. He couldn't wait any longer. He finally met Rayla in his arms, and they reunited with a bone-crushing hug as if they hadn't seen each other in years.

After a few seconds of giving each other warmth and possible bone fractures, they pulled away.

The ecstatic expression on Rayla's face dissipated into a more serious one.

"Hey, uh, Callum? Can I talk to you for a moment?"  
  
"Uh, yeah?" 

The mage was reasonably unsure with his reply, especially with the sudden shift in mood.  
  
"Well, the village elders talked to me, and they said that you’re not allowed to use my key to the Silvergrove anymore."  
  
"What!" Callum exclaimed. "But, I liked dancing with y— I mean, how will I get in then?"  
  
Rayla wordlessly stared at him.  
  
"Wait, am I banished!"  
  
Callum was panicking.  
  
"I thought the whole not-an-evil-human thing was clear, and—"

It was then when Rayla burst into chuckles, shattering the somber atmosphere.  
  
"No, silly! We don’t want you to go. I don’t want you to go." 

The elf hadn't recovered from her peal of laughter, and her voice sounded a bit amused.

"But apparently, you’re not supposed to use my key excessively. It sort of messes with the camouflage barrier rune detector core and the unique biometric link of an entity or something..." 

"Camouflage barrier rune detector core biometric entity link what now? Never mind. So what you’re saying is that I have to find some other elf to share a key with?" 

He was still scratching his head, not being able to fully assimilate all the info.  
  
"Ugh! Why are humans so clueless! You’re not going to share keys with anyone. You’re going to make a new one yourself!"

Rayla said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Callum wasn't offended by her tone since he was much too busy processing the fact that he had to make his own dance.  
  
"I have to choreograph the dance myself!"   
  
"Yup!" 

She popped the p, cheerfully unaffected by his outburst.  
  
"But, I’m terrible with rhythm!" 

Callum would find any and every argument to counter all of this.

"How am I supposed to do this myself when the only time I danced properly was when I was with you!"

She waved him off dismissively, her words more sardonic than encouraging.   
  
"Oh, don’t be so melodramatic, Callum. You’ll manage."  
  
"Can’t I just copy someone else's steps?" 

Rayla smiled deviously.

"Nope! That’s the fun part! It won’t be a registrable key if the dance is not unique to you!"  
  
"Ugh!"

Rayla ignored his groan as her hands seemed to shake in excitement.

"And the best part is that you have to do it now!" 

She said it with a near squeal at the end, Rayla's playful side emerging.

"What! Here! Now! On the spot?"

Yeah, Callum was reduced to incoherent yells and crazed gesticulations.

Rayla scoffed at his agitation.

"Don’t tell me you’re scared. Where’s the guy who jumped off a cliff and kissed me midair because he was that brave?"

Callum unconsciously smiled at the memory of that (literally) heavenly kiss.  
  
"Or that stupid..."

Rayla's afterthought didn't go unheard, snapping Callum from his lovey daze.

"Hey!"  
  
But Rayla shifted the topic as quick as ever.

"Okay, there's going to be a bell ring. Start dancing after the bell stops ringing. They already cast some spells to record your every move. You have thirty seconds to make your key. Another bell will ring to mark your last seven seconds. Then, you can stop dancing when the loudest final toll of bells sounds."  
  
The elf wasted no time and pushed Callum towards the part of the branch. It was where they danced the last time they were at the Silvergrove. A heavenly beam of moonlight effulgently spotlighted the area where the mage was supposed to dance. (He assumed that he should only dance in the vicinity of the light.) A sonorous bell suddenly echoed in the air and continually resonated without waning.  


As much as Callum wanted to protest about all of this, his thirty seconds were going to start soon. In his mind, he rattled about not having any experience in dancing other than his Jerkface Dance. But, he should cut himself some slack since he does have an internal sense of rhythm. The mage did manage to follow Rayla the last time they danced. So while his mind rambled on, his body got ready to perform some of the dance moves that were popular in Katolis as a last resort.  
  
But then, his mind came up with a very heat-of-the-moment gambit. In his mind, he was all screw it. He couldn’t decide on what to dance, but he needed one that was unique to him. To make matters worse, the bell ringing in the background already stopped, signaling for him to start. Callum knew that Rayla's gaze seared into his nape, and he didn't dare to take a backward glance to meet the elf's gaze. It was embarrassing enough that he stood frozen for the first few moments of his precious thirty seconds, so he gave up thinking about it and bent his elbows. 

Bending his elbows, Callum started dancing like a chicken. He ignored Rayla's barely audible gasp of disbelief. Yes, the mage was dancing the Jerkface Dance. He had no other option. If Callum didn't dance anything, he wouldn't have a key to enter the Silvergrove. He wouldn't get to go in with Rayla. Any dance was better than nothing.

So, Callum sucked in his pride, continuing to squawk like a chicken who was about to be roasted. He proceeded to clap his hands together above his head, keeping them in a yoga-like stance before hopping to and fro on one leg. The mage could've felt embarrassed, but he felt too carefree like the last time he danced this in front of Ezran. That same strangely and uniquely intimate feeling washed over him. He would never do this stupid dance for anyone else than those he loved. 

At that moment, he didn't have to care about all the problems in the world. So, like the goof that Rayla oft called him, Callum brightly smiled as he continued to dance like a possessed dipsomaniac. He wasn't physically drunk, just inebriated on carefreeness. Rayla took a step closer near the light to marvel at Callum's stress-free expression. (He certainly deserved a happy-go-lucky instant for himself.)

The seven-second bell rang, alerting that the thirty seconds was almost over. Callum was busy flailing his arms while walking and twerking backward in a circle. His mind realized that his thirty seconds were about to end, and so he got distracted. The momentum of his dancing made him slip on a patch of moss. Like slow motion, the mage met the elf's eyes midair. Luckily for him, Rayla was near enough to dash forward and catch him. 

Callum lost it.

He was snuggly ensconced in Rayla's loving embrace. He looked up to see her soft, amethyst eyes coruscating in the moonlight. Rayla truly was beautiful in more ways than one.

Callum had no hesitations to lean forward and take Rayla's lips into his. Together, they both enjoyed the warm, tingling sensation of kissing the other. Emerald orbs met amethyst ones as their nose touched slightly. They could both feel their rough lips mash together. They could both feel their hearts thump avidly for each other against their chests. Rayla's arms seemed to wrap tighter around Callum's back as they parted to take in ragged breaths of air.

Both of them hardly noticed the booming tolls of the final bell. Callum's thirty seconds were over. He had a new key. A trail of ethereal glowing runes materialized on the place on which Callum had danced. A pulse of energy surrounded Callum and Rayla and expanded into a bubble. That hazy bubble then burst out, taking down the invisible occultation, and slowly revealed the Silvergrove. 

Tapping his foot rhythmically as if waiting for someone to notice him, Ethari stood at the entrance with an unimpressed smirk. Rayla and Callum continued to savor each other's embrace without noticing the craftsman walking towards them.

Rayla and her assassin sense—still alert even when in a daze of love—noticed Ethari coming over. She blushed and broke away from Callum but didn't let go of his hand. In turn, the mage turned around and followed suit with crimson dusting his cheeks. Ethari seemed unfazed, however, and simply clapped a hand over Callum's shoulder.

"You do know that every time you're going to enter the Silvergrove, you have to trip intentionally? Oh, and you have to kiss the air if Rayla's not with you..."

Callum gawked at the revelation before Ethari whisked away Rayla and started talking about a new technique for sharpening weapons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I think that wasn't as good as I imagined it in my head. You peeps be the judge of that...
> 
> Happy Holidays everyone!
> 
> ~RKWQ


	2. Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Opeli finds out that Callum isn’t on delegate duty and is off skedaddling with Rayla. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A brief interlude...
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own any of the characters, settings, plots or any other elements from the Dragon Prince as this is classified as a derivative work.

Katolis had never been as busy as it was now. If the streets were bustling and hustling with crowds of people, then it would be impossible and ineffable to describe the state of the palace. King Ezran's schedule was short but taxing. There was only one item on the list of things to do, and that was tending to public audiences. Ezran would wake up at dawn, only to go straight to the throne room without going to the dining room to await the early arrivals from the other kingdoms. Fortunately for the young royal, he called for another specially requested man for breakfast matters. 

Barius’s culinary skills went past baking jelly tarts. The baker could also whip up a sumptuous batch of jelly pancakes for Ezran to eat at his throne. Of course, Barius would still bake a seemingly infinite supply of jelly tarts for dessert—or in Bait’s case, appetizer, main course, and dessert. 

So there Ezran was, sitting on his throne, a fresh stack of mixed-berry jelly pancakes on the side table and yet another tray of steaming jelly tarts on the way. Waiting for the said tray of jelly tarts, Bait lounged near the base of the throne. Eating their breakfast, Opeli and Corvus stood beside either side of the steps leading up to the throne. Barius had made them both—as well as everybody else in the room—some turkey sandwiches as per the unanimous vote for this day’s breakfast.

As much as Opeli wanted to grumble about the propriety and etiquette of not turning the throne room into a dining room, Ezran had expostulated that everyone wouldn’t run more efficiently on empty stomachs. Corvus promptly agreed, and Barius accepted the task of making breakfast with alacrity, happily cooking more food. Ezran had already learned how to assert himself and his vision for himself as king and for everyone serving him. He would rule in his unique way, doing what was best in his eyes. Corvus couldn’t be any more proud, and Opeli seemed to be ready to accept some changes around the palace. 

But, Opeli was still Opeli, Corvus had said. 

So when Opeli inquired about Callum’s current diplomatic trip to Xadia, Ezran may or may not have sputtered when he heard her signature, straightforward voice. He also may or may not have revealed that it wasn’t much of a diplomatic trip. 

“What!” Opeli yelled. 

Others in the room who were happily munching their sandwiches took a sideward glance at the commotion but ignored it otherwise. They knew that it would end in less than a few minutes. 

“Chill, Opeli,” Corvus said, lazily leaning against the stone wall. “Prince Callum needs his time off.” 

What Opeli said next made them double-take at her words. 

“Exactly!” she exclaimed before continuing with her normal preaching tone. “When will we get ours? King Ezran, I suggest that tomorrow be a day off since Queen Aanya did offer to manage tomorrow’s affairs. Things are simmering down in Duren enough for Her Majesty and her entourage to help with our matters. Her regent will hold down the fort in Duren.” 

Ezran and Corvus blinked. 

“Who are you, and what did you do to the real Opeli?” Ezran joked, Corvus laughing at the young king’s antics. 

“I'm still human, guys...” she muttered. "I've just reached my limit.

That was true. Although Opeli was a veteran in handling royal matters, this post-battle situation was the most troublesome she has encountered in her time as a councilwoman.

Ezran smiled, secretly thinking that some of his carefree influence already rubbed off to Opeli. 

“It’s decided then...” Ezran stood up from his throne and clapped his hands twice. 

Everyone’s attention fell on him.

“Tomorrow will be a day off!” the young king announced, his ears catching the noise of feet from outside the throne room. "Duren's entourage will take a turn in handling some affairs here."

Everyone cheered before Ezran resumed talking, “But first, we still have today to handle, and here comes the first audience.” 

Suppressed groans echoed across the room as the throne room doors opened, revealing a crowd of people. 

It was going to be a _long_ day. 

And it was. 

By the end of it, Ezran nearly passed out from fatigue and exhaustion. He had dealt with matters ranging from complaints about noisy neighbors to petitions for increases in rations. All the day's activity sapped the young king's energy. However, thinking about the prospect of a day off tomorrow gave him the strength to bear it all. He already had many ideas planned. That night, Ezran managed to get the most sleep than he has ever had these days. His slumber wasn't deep enough to get any whimsical dreams, but it was still calm enough for him to recharge.

So when Ezran woke up at daybreak, as he is wont to do these post-war days, he felt ready to take on his first day off. Bait seemed to echo his agreement when he glowed after he sensed the young king arise from bed. Sunshine peeked through the narrow opening of the velvet curtains as Ezran rubbed the crust out of his eyes, allowing him to see Bait's hungry expression. The young king laughed as he pulled Bait onto his lap. 

Ezran carried Bait in his hands and sauntered to the curtained window. The young king pushed the drapes aside to reveal a majestic view of Katolis. Light leaked past the horizon of the silhouettes of houses, dimly highlighting the texture of the rooves. Above the waking suburbs, pale gold flowed into inky indigo as the stars protested with their glisters. 

Ezran loved staring out the window at dawn. It felt peaceful, ataraxic. It seemed as though there was no post-battle situation on their hands. That was the reason he couldn't take his astonished gaze off of the view. 

That was until a knock came sounding at the door. Ezran didn't bother answering since he already knew who it was. The door creaked open to reveal Opeli already clothed in her signature council robes and headdress. 

"King Ezran, are you ready for our day off?" Opeli said as he stepped in.

Ezran perked up at that. "Ready? I'm more than ready! I already have the entire day planned out!"

Opeli's eyes widened as Ezran dash over and grabbed her hand to lead her outside to the candlelit hallways. The councilwoman couldn't say a word with Ezran's zest and fervency and let his king drag him along to find Corvus. 

They didn't take long since they found Corvus, who was already on his way to the Ezran's bedroom. The bodyguard was all ready and dressed up in his signature leather armor and mint scarf. 

"Good morning, my king, Opeli," Corvus greeted with a wave of his hand.

"Morning!" Ezran and Opeli returned the friendly gesture with a smile.

"Apparently, King Ezran has already planned out our day..." Opeli muttered.

"I'm okay with going anywhere," Corvus replied, holding up a large picnic basket in his hand. "I have some food. Seriously, Barius guy is addicted to cooking. He's hosting a day off buffet right now in the gardens." 

"Well, that's Barius for you," Ezran chuckled.

The young king moved closer and took a whiff of the wafting scent of food from the basket, smelling bread, meat, jelly, and—unexpectedly—raisins. That made Ezran's gears turn in his head. Barius hates raisins. But then, the answer popped into his mind.

Ezran gave a light smile. "But he's not the only one who is skilled at baking, you know. Did you...?"

Corvus stared into those knowing eyes of Ezran and sighed. "Yes, I baked cookies last night. I know you love them almost as much as General Amaya does."

Ezran mumbled his thanks before promptly grabbing the container of cookies from the basket. 

The oatmeal raisin cookies did not last the trip, which they did via banther. The container was empty before they could make it to their first destination. The journey was most enjoyable, though, despite the lack of cookies by the end of it. A trip through the tranquil forest was the most relaxing place to contrast the noisy palace. Well, it was relaxing for Opeli after she got over the fact that they were riding on wild banthers. Ezran brushed her off, while Corvus enjoyed the trip, having gotten used to riding banthers from his last excursion with his king.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late post. I was sick, and everyone was like 'Don't you dare touch your computer' at me. "Break" is actually only part one of the whole plot for Corvus, Ezran, and Opeli's first story. It will be continued with part two "Cicatrix" after the next few chapters/one-shots. The trio will be the interludes/transitions between the major stories, so I'll be accepting prompt requests for Corvus & Ezran & Opeli shorts.
> 
> Also, don't worry. I'll give you another update tomorrow. :)  
> It'll be Runaan. *smirks deviously*


	3. Gangrene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escaping a coin has its cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own any of the characters, settings, plots or any other elements from the Dragon Prince as this is classified as a derivative work.

Runaan was in a coin, trapped. Of all the things, he didn’t expect to get stuck in pocket change. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t feel. He couldn’t breathe. The only thing he could do was see, but there wasn’t much to see except darkness.

Runaan didn’t know for how long he had kept his eyes closed. There was no use to open them because he wouldn’t see anything anyway, only a lonely, infinite, bronze void. Closing his eyes also helped him imagine himself if he would have gotten away that fateful night in Katolis. Underneath the empyreal glow of the full moon, many events transpired. Had the mission gone more smoothly, the Moonshadow elf would have been back home in the Silvergrove, continuing an ephemerally peaceful life of training and spending time with his fellow elven brethren, and oh— 

His love, Ethari, to whom Runaan promised that he would return his heart—he had failed him. The assassin would do anything and everything he could to see Ethari once more, to feel his warm touch, and to relish in his loving embrace. All of these Runaan couldn’t do because he was a bodiless soul that resided in a metaphysical void of a coin. Returning his heart to Ethari, with his current predicament, was nothing short of farfetched. The assassin felt a sharp pang stab through his chest. He thought it was yet another episode of yearning for Ethari, but he realized that it wasn’t all because of heartache. He felt the stinging sensation linger in his chest and proceed to spread and tingle throughout his body. It was a strange sensation that he could—

Feel?

A body?

Wait, he had a solid body! 

Runaan could feel his heavy heartbeat against his chest. He could clench his fist to withstand the agonizing squeeze he felt around his muscles. The Moonshadow elf was no longer an aimless spirit in an endless, dark, brazen void with no one to hear out his calls and pleas. 

Was he back to reality?

He couldn’t tell. Runaan saw nothing but blinding white sunlight filling his vision and heard nothing but high-pitched ringings echoing. But at least, he could now literally breathe freely in a physical body. 

And it hurt like fire.

Luckily for Runaan, the pain was only a transition. The tight press around his muscles caused by fatigue slowly ebbed away. Runaan could feel most of his body relax. Except, there was something wrong with his left arm. The nasty squeeze around his left arm didn’t seem to wane. At the moment, Runaan kept his eyes closed. So instead, he ran his right hand over his left forearm to check for whatever issue there was.

Runaan’s fingers touched skin, but his arm felt numb. Scratch that, he couldn’t feel his arm. The Moonshadow elf desperately wanted to see what was wrong. However, after seeing darkness for such a long time, the brightness seemed to shine more brightly than usual and render him virtually blind. As a Moonshadow elf, Runaan had a higher affinity for the moon compared to the sun, so a bright environment was an uncomfortable situation for him. The light burned his eyes as his fatigue and soreness seemed to return to his entire body. He wasn’t used to feeling his physical form for a while, and that exacerbated the pain. 

Moments later, his eyes adjusted to the brightness. Rather than look at his arm, his assassin instinct was to look around for danger. In doing so, he instantly recognized where he was. The moss-covered ground teemed with a rainbow of flowers that you could find in only one place in Xadia. It was the lair of the Dragon Queen. 

That meant—

The Moonshadow slowly turned his head and gazed upon such a sight.

“Queen Zubeia!” Runaan exclaimed as he knelt in reverence.

The grandeur of the Dragon Queen highlighted by the heavenly spotlight of sunbeams came crashing down on Runaan’s senses. Of course, his instinct would be to kneel in reverence. However, the Moonshadow elf’s knees were still weak, and so they subsequently gave in. He unceremoniously fell face down onto the mossy ground. Zubeia gave a humored snort that double-purposely shifted strong winds to lift the assassin into the air and gently drop him into a cross-legged sitting position. 

By now, Runaan forgot about his arm, even if he probably remembered _why_ he couldn't feel it. He was more preoccupied with how exactly he escaped his coin prison. The Moonshadow elf kept dozens of racing thoughts in his head, but his natural impulsiveness overtook his control.

“Is this a dream?” Runaan blurted out.

Out of all the things he could say—

Zubeia laughed heartily, dropping any formalities, marking the soon-to-be conversation as a casual one. The Moonshadow elf pursed his lips, deciding that it indeed was a dream because he remembered the Dragon Queen to be in quite the sour mood full of dolor and rage before he set out on his mission.

“My loyal assassin, those were my precise words when I awoke. However, I discovered it to be a reality,” Zubeia remarked, curling her body into a coil.

Everything did seem real. Runaan could only feel this kind of muscle ache if he was awake. It was like the unique, throbbing pain he had when he had a brutal workout, took a nap, and woke up too early. 

Runaan gave up on putting a cap on his thought and query processing. “Then, how did I get all the way here? Was Katolis raided again? Or did the humans foolishly come to Xadia? Or...?”

“Slow down,” the Dragon Queen said serenely, letting those tranquil vibes wash over Runaan.

Although a dragon n times bigger than him wasn’t the best calming image, the Moonshadow elf managed to inhale some deeps breaths and reel in all his questions.

Zubeia took this as her time to speak without interruption. 

“Unfortunately, my job was only to get you out of the coin you in,” she said. “I have some urgent matters to attend to in Lux Aurea. However, Ibis”—cue the Skywing elf who entered the lair—“will be here to handle your needs and explain everything.”

Whatever the matter was, it had to have been urgent. In seconds, Zubeia took flight and whooshed off through the skylight without any other vestige than a wisp of wind.

Ibis, the aforementioned Skywing elf, stalked forward and offered a helping hand to pull Runaan up. He didn’t have the strength to push himself too much. The Moonshadow elf gladly accepted it, not caring about trivial matters such as pride. He also acknowledged the problem about his left arm but didn’t want to think about it.

As Runaan stood up, he realized that he did not have a shirt. (At least, he had trousers, right?) Embarrassed, he bit his lip thinking about the fact that he was half-naked in the presence of the Dragon Queen. And now, in front of her assistant—

(Okay, Runaan might be making a big deal out of it.)

“Runaan, correct?” Ibis asked, not seeming to mind at all, as the assassin nodded. “You must be sapped. Here’s a potion to temporarily get your strength back up.”

The Skywing elf handed him a flask of green fluid. The Moonshadow elf quickly downed it and, as promised, feel some of his energy return. The liquid also seemed to mitigate his body pains.

“First thing’s first. We need to deal with your arm,” Ibis said grimly.

The assistant didn’t want to be blunt, but that arm certainly needed urgent attention.

“Straight to the point, I see,” Runaan mumbled nonchalantly, hiding his understandable forlornness. 

“Sorry...” Ibis apologized. “It gangrened, and the necrosis is severe.”

“What...” Runaan trailed off.

“Gangrene is when the loss of blood supply causes localized tissue death. Necrosis is a more general term,” the Skywing elf replied.

“I know what those mean. I meant to say: what are we going to do?” the Moonshadow elf asked, even if he very well knew the answer.

Ibis pursed his lips. “It might be infected soon. We need to...”

“I know,” the assassin cut him off harshly, staring at the silver binding around his left bicep that he had been trying to ignore.

Amputation.

It was a quick process, and it turns out Runaan didn’t need a shirt anyways. The cloth would get in the way of the procedure. Ibis was surprisingly adept at handling amputation. The Skywing elf made it painless, aided by the fact that the potion from earlier was a two-in-one healing and anesthetic. He even applied some sort of enchanted salve to Runaan’s arm to make it instantly close to a stump, accelerating the healing. However, the pain was still there, but it wasn't anything he couldn't deal with, especially with his experiences as an assassin. Runaan was out of the medical room before he knew it.

“Let’s get you some clothes and food,” Ibis said.

After giving him some Moonshadow garb, which they happened to have stock of, Ibis set off for the kitchen, leaving Runaan to his business. Without hesitation, he went straight to the bathhouses. He soaked himself in a hot bath before changing into the crisp clothes provided to him. He would later ask Ibis why the Storm Spire, the Dragon Queen’s dwelling, had so many non-dragon-sized amenities.

Runaan made his way to the kitchen, where he found Ibis ready with a tray of food. The two elves proceeded to a table, and it seemed like the perfect moment to discuss all the necessary details of what had transpired.

“I’ll let you start eating first so that you don’t think on an empty stomach,” Ibis said warmly, pushing the tray of food towards the Moonshadow elf.

(It was as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened that day. It was just Ibis giving Runaan some food as if he were a friend who came over.)

Runaan’s mouth watered at the sight of the filled tray of food. He hadn’t been able to eat anything because, well, the coin sustained his life force without giving him food. He struggled between life and death. And now, in front of him was a full meal. Orange peel salad, mashed potatoes with margarine, moondried tomato pesto, shepherd’s veggie pie, moonberry surprise, milk berry cake, persimmon cookies, and a tall glass of moonberry juice—it was pure heaven. More specifically, it was all his exact favorite foods on a giant tray. 

The selection of food certainly wasn’t a coincidence, or was it? No?

“How...” Runaan muttered, speechless.

Ibis smiled warmly. “That would be a wonderful place to start and explain everything.”

Runaan cocked his head up, staring into Ibis’s grin.

“Rayla...” Ibis muttered vaguely.

The assassin’s eyes widened before he masked his intrigue with a bite of his lip.

“What of her?” Runaan replied, keeping his composure.

“Well, after returning the Dragon Prince to Queen Zubeia—”

“What!” the Moonshadow elf cut off Ibis.

“Want me to explain? Then, make your reactions less disruptive,” the Skywing elf said sternly.

Runaan responded by stuffing his mouth with another spoonful of mashed potatoes. Luckily, he was right-handed and could manage to eat with just his one, dominant hand.

Ibis snorted silently before continuing, “After returning the Dragon Prince to Queen Zubeia and defending him at the pinnacle of the Storm Spire from the invading dark mage and his armies of Sunfire hybrid humans...”

Runaan tried his best to suppress his violent reaction, resorting to stuffing another spoonful of food in his mouth. Ibis seemed to intentionally start the story in the most mind-blowing way as possible. 

“Let’s skip to the aftermath of the battle. We won, of course...” Ibis said.

Runaan gave a haughty grunt at the loss of the humans, but he hasn’t heard the entire thing yet.

Ibis smirked, anticipating the assassin’s reactions to his next words. “But only thanks to the clever battle strategy and cooperation of the General of Katolis and the Golden Knight of Lux Aurea. And of course, there was the ambush from the forces of Duren. That’s how we won the battle.”

Runaan nearly choked on his mashed potatoes but kept quiet otherwise. He need not recall that those were human kingdoms. Indeed, this story was an insane one.  
  
“But, it turned out that the entire battle was a diversion. The dark mage created an illusion of himself to lead the battle at the base of the Storm Spire while his real endeavor was to sneak up on the Dragon Prince. His mother wasn’t there to protect him because she was still in a deep, sickly slumber from both grief and fatigue.”

Runaan scowled.

“Fortunately, Rayla was there to defend him.”

Runaan’s eyes brightened up, and he didn’t bother to hide it this time.

“Before the dark mage could end the Dragon Prince, Rayla jumped at him and pushed the dark mage over the edge of the cliff. They both fell together, but she saved the Dragon Prince.”

Runaan’s hand stopped midair before he could feed himself another spoon of food. The Moonshadow elf was speechless. Indeed, he loved Rayla. He raised her as a child. He trained her as a teen. And now, he coldly dismissed her and her empathy, the same empathy that saved the Dragon Prince. Runaan marked it has Rayla’s weakness, but he was wrong. It was her strength. They both fought with their words and with their swords. Now, everything was in the open and left behind without another word.

Ibis noticed Runaan’s doleful expression, not overlooking the shiny beads threatening to fall from the corners of his eyes. The Skywing elf took that as his cue to continue.

“Fret not. Rayla’s human primal mage boyfriend jumped in after her, grew wings, caught her, kissed her midair, and safely flew back to the top of the Storm Spire.”

Okay, he had Runaan at Rayla’s human primal mage boyfriend.

Runaan coughed violently, choking out bits of his food. Ibis smirked once again, handing the Moonshadow elf the glass of moonberry juice. After a nice sip, Runaan was able to speak.

“Are you doing this intentionally?” he questioned angrily.

Ibis gave a shrug to match the assassin’s previous nonchalance.

“Just continue...” Runaan muttered. “And... I’m sorry.”

“For interrupting?” the Skywing elf said.

“Yes... No!” the Moonshadow elf replied. “For being a cold-ass the entire time I was here. I was just in a bad mood, and...”

“Apology accepted...” Ibis smiled before continuing. “So, in the end, Queen Zubeia woke up to find her baby safe thanks to the efforts of humans and elves and dragons. After celebrating, Rayla and Callum...”

“Well?” Runaan whispered.

Ibis chuckled. “Well, they had a steamy make-out session at the pinnacle of the Storm Spire. The stars and moon were practically smiling at them. How romantic!”

Runaan instinctively scowled, remembering that Rayla had a boyfriend. Though, he didn’t know exactly what he was mad about.

Ibis continued, ignoring Runaan’s expression, “It was there where Rayla found a small pouch on the ground. It must have fallen out of the dark mage’s robes when she knocked him off the cliff.”

Runaan couldn’t help but grin at the repeat of that statement.

“The pouch was open and empty, and it seemed that its contents had fallen over the ledge, save for one coin. And guess what, you were in it!”

Runaan didn’t like recalling that.

“Rayla tried shouting to you, but you didn’t seem to hear her. You didn't open your eyes, too. So, she gave the coin to Queen Zubeia. Her Majesty said that only a large discharge of energy to break the dark magic’s curse. Lucky for you, she was the Archdragon of the Sky, who had endless amounts of lightning to free you. And here we are...”

“Wow,” Runaan said.

And that was all that he could say.

“I’ll leave you to your food. You have a lot to think about. There’s a guest bedroom around the corner, down the hall. Get a good night’s rest. We’re leaving for the Silvergrove at dawn,” Ibis said as he got ready to leave the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” Runaan said out of the blue.

He didn’t want the Skywing elf to leave. Maybe it was because of Ibis’s amiability, or maybe it was because he loathed being alone in that wretched coin and wanted company.

“I need to send messages concerning Lux Aurea,” Ibis gave his flat reply.

“What’s with Lux Aurea? Did something happen?” Runaan asked, anxious about the answer to his question.

“It’s best we don’t talk about it tonight.”

* * *

Bonus Scene:

Runaan continued eating his food with one hand. He started thinking about what he would do after he returned to the Silvergrove with only one arm. Now, he lost the ability to do many of the things he loved doing, such as use his bow or carry Ethari bridal style.

After Runaan finished his food, a thought pierced his head. 

How was Rayla doing?

"I should just be grateful that I'm alive, that Rayla's alive. She's probably handling this better than me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no regrets breaking down Runaan's cold exterior.
> 
> I also cannot write a proper amputation scene, and I don't want this to be graphic and become rated M so...
> 
> Also, this is an hour late. Sorry, I was asleep, :3


	4. Mailman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you're going to be the Dragon Queen's assistant, you need to be prepared to be a mailman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A brief interlude...
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own any of the characters, settings, plots or any other elements from the Dragon Prince as this is classified as a derivative work.
> 
> 7/19/20: Skim edited!

Three days ago, right after the Battle of the Storm Spire, Ibis sent two messages:

The first message was the only verbal one out of all of them.

> "Hey, Rayla, make sure you stay in the Silvergrove for the next few days."
> 
> "Hm, yeah? I plan to do that anyway."

The second message:

> To the Village Elders, 
> 
> Please do not let Rayla know about this. Let it be a surprise.
> 
> All must rescind the ghosting of Tiadrin and Lain, for they did the exact opposite of what they were accused. Historia Viventem revealed that they both stayed and fought until the very end to protect the Dragon Prince's egg and inevitable save it, even if the others had abandoned them. Upon their return to the Silvergrove, they were banished, but they are still alive to this point. Queen Zubeia immediately granted amnesty for the false allegations against them. Welcome them back with warmth and reverence.  
>  ~Ibis, assistant of the Dragon Queen

That night, after he left Runaan to his food, Ibis shot three heavenly arrows carrying three other vital letters. These are those three letters:

The first letter:

> To whom it may concern,
> 
> To whoever receives this, please forward it immediately to Queen Janai. This letter confirms that Queen Zubeia will be assisting with the restoration of the Lux Aurea. Sir Sol Regem shall accompany Her Highness. Queen Zubeia will provide the necessary raw energy in the form of lightning for most of the tasks, such as the recreation of the stolen sun scepter. Sir Sol Regem will purge the central source of the Light of any dark magic contaminants. Let this be a warning as well. Sir Sol Regem is still quite the bitter misanthrope, so he might not take well to the newest human addition to the Elite Knights of Lux Aurea.
> 
> ~Ibis, assistant of the Dragon Queen

The second letter:

> Dear Tiadrin and Lain,
> 
> Hello, old friends! I'm happy that I kept that bracelet Lain gave me. I was able to use one of its beads to enchant and send this tracking arrow with this message. How are you doing? I know you're alive and well. Once you two get knocked down, you bounce right back up! Finally, we were able to prove your innocence after fighting for it for quite a while. I know you would fight to the very end. Well, it wasn't me who proved your innocence, but I was stupid for not seeing the most obvious answer to the problem. Historia Viventem revealed how you fought to protect the Dragon Prince's egg 'til the very end. Also, Tiadrin, you're very sly with your words. 
> 
> Go back to the Silvergrove. Rayla's waiting for you.
> 
> ~Ibis, your old pal

The third letter:

> To Rayla,
> 
> Hey, are you sitting tight? Here it comes.
> 
> ~Ibis

Ibis watched the arrows soar like shooting stars through the night sky. He smirked. The Skywing elf could have been less vague and said to Rayla that her parents were coming home, but it was karma. Rayla insisted that Runaan's return must be kept a secret from Ethari because that would make the reunion more extraordinary. It was only fair that Rayla would get the same _extraordinary_ experience. Though, Rayla probably already knew who she was waiting for. There weren’t too many candidates: only Runaan and her parents. Both were worth waiting for.

All this mail, yet the elves don't actually have mailmen. They have mail-arrows—or mouths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next will be Rayla and Callum and their love life matters (and everyone butting in).
> 
> Give me a day or two to write. :3


	5. Arrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrows are very versatile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A sneak peek...
> 
> Also, some very little insight on my fanon views on Xadia...
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own any of the characters, settings, plots or any other elements from the Dragon Prince as this is classified as a derivative work.

Ibis idly tapped his finger on the table as he finished breakfast. He was very much a morning person and got up before the sun did. Back then, he was only an occasional visitor to the Dragon Royals' lair. But, Avizandum and Azymondias died, and Zubeia needed all the support she could get. The Skywing elf visited more frequently to aid the Dragon Queen. Then, bam! It was that one night when Zubeia tenderly whispered her thanks to Ibis, saying that he was so trustworthy and reliable. It warmed his heart, especially when the Dragon Queen offered him a spot as her assistant. He accepted, and here he was. He already had gotten used to living in the Storm Spire and had a routine. He'd eat breakfast and then go out for a leisurely morning flight around the Storm Spire. The Skywing elf put his plate in the sink before heading out to the pinnacle of the Storm Spire. 

Once he reached the top, Ibis pulled out something akin to a pocket watch from his pocket. It did look like an antique gold pocket watch. However, when he flipped the lid, a radar scope was there instead of a watch face. Two green dots appeared for a few seconds and faded, while one blue dot blinked and didn't. Those three dots represented the arrows he shot out last night. Green indicated that the message arrived at the expected location and that someone opened the letter. Blue meant that the arrows made it to its intended location, but the message was left untouched.

The first arrow carried the imperial mark of Queen Zubeia. Of course, it was the one sent to Lux Aurea for official business. 

The second was just a normal messenger arrow. It was the one he sent to Rayla. 

The third arrow was unusual. Mainly, it was because it wasn't an arrow used for messages. Messenger arrows typically are very aerodynamic and are more lightweight than combat arrows. The one Ibis used for Tiadrin and Lain's message was bulky and weighted. That was because it was one of the queen's beacon arrows. A beacon arrow was made of pure metal and acted like a flare. You would shoot it straight up into the sky. Then, as a signal for help or emergency, it would emit light while it ascended and plummeted.

Why would Ibis use such an arrow to send a message?

Well, the tracking spell that he cast would carry any arrow anyway. So, the weight wouldn't matter. The real twist is that this is a beacon arrow of the Archmage of the Sky. It didn't use a fulgent flare; it used flashing lightning. 

You would draw a rune to activate the lightning, but Ibis didn't do that when he shot it. He let it follow Tiadrin and Lain first. Since blue indicated that they were also in a coin like Runaan, he needed to save them. Fortunately, they figured out that Zubeia's lightning could free those trapped by the Coin Curse. 

What a coincidence!

The same arrow he sent to Tiadrin and Lain had lots of volts of lightning stored in it.

Ibis smirked.

He put a finger out in front of him before it started glowing with an empyreal white light. Ibis drew an intricate rune and silently muttered the trigger words.

"Fulgur malus navis."

An almost invisible pulse of energy shot forth in all directions like a blast of wind. It would trigger the arrow wherever it was.

* * *

Somewhere lied two bronze coins, sitting on a mossy slab of rock. Sometime later, a glowing arrow stabbed itself into the rock, piercing itself right beside the coins. Out of the blue, wild lightning crepitated from the metal shaft. It sizzled with energy and crackled towards the coins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! I'm sorry for two short updates in a row. I strive for daily updates, even if I don't pre-write chapters. It takes me hours to take a chapter prompt, conceptualize, write, rearrange, edit, and finalize, but if I hit a writer's block I take a much longer time to write. The same goes if I have a tighter schedule, of course. I'm busy cooking for New Year's Eve. (Which by the way, Happy New Year everyone! :D)


	6. Soar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pyrrah is one speedy, in-demand dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to update with the full length chapter about Rayllum, but I ended up posting this short piece on Pyrrah. I feel bad for using her as an explanation for fast scene switches with Callum, so I gave her a chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own any of the characters, settings, plots or any other elements from the Dragon Prince as this is classified as a derivative work.

Dragons have the greatest longevity of all creatures. A lifespan of a dragon cannot compare even to that of a Startouch elf. As one of the relatively younger dragons of Avizandum’s era, Pyrrah enjoys the prospect of a long, exhilarating life. So far, she had quite the journey and cherished many of her experiences.

One thing she didn’t enjoy was when that annoying human knight—Soren, was it—cut off one of her horns. Soren had profusely apologized for that. The knight was much contrite about the fact that he had given it to his father, the dark mage, Viren, who had used it in a spell solidify the lava to safely and successfully invade through the Breach. The thought made Pyrrah’s blood boil, although Sun Dragons’ blood is said to already reach those temperatures at normal.

But, she didn’t want to stay in past rage. Pyrrah saw herself as a positive and cheery (as much as a dragon could be). So, she focused on the fact that much of the commotion was over.

That was good, right?

Well, for one, Pyrrah had no job to do. Her job was to scout Katolis for any impending shenanigans from the humans. But since Katolis was now leading as the human representative kingdom for peaceful treaties, there was no use in sending out scouting dragons. (Well, except for showing that there’s no trust between the human and Xadian races!)

Pyrrah would miss scouting. Being the fastest flier of her age, she was offered the job of a scout at an early time. Of course, she accepted. There was nothing better than having a job that was already something that you loved doing. For Pyrrah, soaring through the winds with the cerulean sky and golden sun smiling at your back was nothing short of relaxation. Along with the thrill of it all, her missions were always quick and speedy, and that entertained her. Now, that was gone.

Was it for better or worse?

Pyrrah had no regrets meeting Ezran, Rayla, Callum, or Prince Azymondias. She had quite the privilege to do so, too.

Ezran was such a kind person to be with. When Pyrrah was with him, she felt like she could belong anywhere in the world.

The Sun Dragon was forever grateful to Rayla. After all, it was the Moonshadow elf who had risked everything to save Pyrrah when she was chained down.

Pyrrah secretly looked at Callum’s sketch whenever she got the chance. Don’t ask. Pyrrah was just interested in drawing. Being a dragon with bulky claws meant that she would never be able to draw like that. The best that she could do was draw crude runes on the ground to show to Ezran. That was it.

Prince Azymondias was so adorable! He was a cute little hatchling. Pyrrah would have wanted to see him learn to fly, but Queen Zubeia had taken quite the protective (possessive) approach. Only she could teach the young dragon. Also, Prince Azymondias’s time was strictly bound to the Storm Spire and the Silvergrove. Though, the young dragon’s heart-wrenching whimpers and longing gazes at Ezran had prompted Zubeia to allow her son some time in Katolis, but only with Rayla as a chaperone. Still, Pyrrah would want to dote on the young dragon. She wished to say “So cute!” again and again.

Sadly, Pyrrah was still young and couldn’t speak. She could give only affectionate roars. Dragons usually master eloquent and fluent elven and human speech after seventy-five or more years. Pyrrah was nowhere near that age. However, at least, he could understand everyday speech. And now, she had gotten used to “Can I get a ride?” every single day.

Pyrrah had done it first for Ezran. He said that his brother Callum needed fast transport. The Sun Dragon had nothing else to do, and this was her chance to soar fast again. But then, everyone seemed to notice the breakneck speeds at which Pyrrah could fly. She was now a transport dragon. The Sun Dragon had conflicted feelings about this. However, in the end, she decided that it was fulfilling to share that blustering wind in the face with others.

So here she was, called to the Storm Spire once again to receive a new set of passengers. When she reached the pinnacle, a Skywing elf waved Pyrrah down to toss a few assorted fruits in her mouth—a juicy treat that she awaited every time she landed here.

“Thank you for coming Pyrrah,” the Skywing elf said. “Here are the three passengers.”

Three Moonshadow elves came forward.

One of them waved. “Hi…”

The voice seemed so hoarse with the smooth whispers of the wind in the background.

“Runaan! No talking with a sore throat!” the Skywing elf scolded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! :D
> 
> Side note: it’s a pain to type and update with mobile. I don’t have my computer with me, which is another reason why I posted a short chapter.


End file.
